Cuomo says he'll campaign for Obama, denies 2016 implications

By EMILY SCHULTHEIS

10/18/2012 04:56 PM EDT

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who as Maggie noted, appeared as a surrogate for Obama at the Hofstra University debate, said today that he's open to hitting the campaign trail for the president but that he doesn't want that to imply anything about his own presidential ambitions:

Cuomo said he was "very aware" of stirring speculation about his own presidential aspirations, which he said "hurt" his ability to govern and cast doubt on his motives.

"I don't want to step over a line that could fuel potential speculation that, well, Cuomo is looking to run in 2016," he said.

"I'm very aware of that," Cuomo said, "because it hurts me as governor. If you politicize me, you cast aspersions on my motivations and intent, you suggest I have my own political agenda for doing things, you're going to hurt my capacity and ability to serve as governor, and I just won't allow that to happen."

Cuomo went to to say, "I want to make clear. What I'm doing, I'm doing as a surrogate, a responsible surrogate for President Obama."